Dispensing container



Oct. 1, 1968 w. F. FRANK I 3,

DISPENSING CONTAINER Original Filed Dec. 16, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1WILLIAM E FRANK nvvsru'rov? FIG. I

Oct. 1, 1968 w. F. FRANK 3,403,828

DISPENSING CONTAINER Original Filed Dec. 16, 1965 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2F16. Y FI6-EI WILLIAM F. FRANK )NVENTOI? Oct. 1, 1968 w, FRANK 3,403,828

' DISPENSING CONTAINER Original Filed Dec. 16, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5WILLIAM E FRANK INVENTOE FIG. 12

United States Patent 3,403,828 DISPENSING CONTAINER William F. Frank,Fairfax, Va., assiguor to Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo., acorporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 514,272,Dec. 16, 1965. This application Sept. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 670,458 3Claims. (Cl. 222-486) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relatesto a container and closure structure wherein the open neck of thecontainer is provided with an indentation, which indentation is furtherprovided with an inwardly-outwardly orientated wedge-shaped basesurface, which base surface is in turn in sliding contact with a stopblock provided on the inside of the closure wherein limited rotationalmovement of the closure with relationship to the container respectivelyuncovers and covers dispensing openings Within the top surface of theclosure in communication with the indentation.

This is a continuation of Ser. No. 514,272, filed Dec. 16, 1965, and nowabandoned.

The present invention relates generally to a novel dispenser useful fordispensing powders, granules, or the like, and liquids under certainconditions. More specifically, it relates to a new and useful dispenserwhich has the combined advantages of simplicity and economy, ease inassembly and filling.

Dispensers for these purposes have been made of paper or glass. Thosemade of resinous polymeric materials have become of increasingimportance in the field of packaging in recent years. These plasticcontainers are now finding application in the use as dispensers forpowder and granulated materials, such as baby powder, cosmetics,seasonings, and the like. Their use as dispensers of liquids has usuallybeen as a squeeze type container. Most dispensers in commercial usesuffer from several disadvantages, including elaborate preassemblyrequirements, unusual filling line assembly restrictions, and high cost.The design of many also precludes complete emptying of the container or,at best, requires considerable shaking. The problem of sealing thecontents against the effects of moisture in the air has not beeneliminated. The failure of the contents to return to the containerportion after use frequently prevents the closure from sealing or causesthe closure to adhere to the container to make replacement of thecontents difficult. In addition, the commercially available plasticcontainers are usually designed to provide a maximum sized orifice tofacilitate filling of the containers and hence are often susceptible tosifting during shipment.

It has been found that the container constructed in accordance with thepresent invention overcomes all these disadvantages of the prior art,particularly in regard to economy, simplicity of construction and suretyof operation.

It is the object of this invention to provide the art with a simple andeconomical dispenser having a one-piece closure and moldable containerand having all the prerequisites for a commercially feasible, readilyassembled dispenser.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a container for use ina dispenser formed of a synthetic plastic material and containing acircular opening having an annular self-emptying indentation in the rimof the opening and a locking bead On the outside of the opening, theopening being adapted to cooperate with a closure to produce a uniquelyuseful dispenser.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a ice containerhaving a closure suitable for slidingly engaging the circular opening ofthe container in sealing engagement, said closure having a stop blockpositioned on its inner surface which cooperates with the annularindentation in the opening of the container to provide limitedrotational movement of theclosure on the tubular neck and to directundispensed material back into the container and a flexible ring to lockthe closure to the container.

Generally, the present invention relatesto a dispenser comprising anOpen end container having at least one identation partially around itsperiphery adjacent said open end, said container also having lockingmeans around its periphery adjacent said open end and said indentation;and a dispensing closure adapted to telescope over the open end of saidcontainer and engage said locking means whereby vertical movement of theclosure with respect to the container is prevented; said closurecomprising a top and a skirt depending therefrom, said closure having aplurality of dispensing openings in said top and also having integraltherewith a rotation limiting stop block depending from the underside ofthe top adjacent the openings, said stop block being in continualsliding engagement within said indentation.

The invention will be best understood from the following descriptionread in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE I is a perspective view of one embodiment of the containerconstructed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 11 is a partial perspective view illustrating another embodimentof the container of this invention.

FIGURE III is a partial sectional view in perspective illustrating theclosure of this invention adaptable for the containers shown in FIGURESI and II.

FIGURE IV is a partial, sectional view of the dispenser of thisinvention taken along lines A-A of FIGURE III.

FIGURE V is a partial sectional view taken through both the indentationand stop block positioned therein showing the closure fitted to thecontainer of FIGURE I.

FIGURE VI is a further partial perspective view of the container ofFIGURE I illustrating the annular indentation in the container.

FIGURE VII is a sectional view of the annular indentation of thecontainer of FIGURE I and the stop block of the closure of FIGURE III,showing their relationship.

FIGURE VIII is a partial vertical section of a conical shaped dispenseraccording to this invention.

FIGURE IX is a partial horizontal sectional view along lines B-B ofFIGURE VIII.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE I illustrates acylindrically-shaped container of this invention designated as 10,having a top opening of a diameter equal to that of the container. Thecontainer wall 11 is shown having a uniform thickness. In the rim of thewall of the container is a vertical indentation 12 extending along therim between two stop facings 13. This indentation 12 may be of anysuitable length and, if desired, there may be more than one indentationspaced along the rim. Two indentations placed on opposite sides of therim as indicated in FIGURE II are usually sufficient if more than one isrequired. The indentation serves as a conduit for the contents of thedispenser from the container 10 to openings in the closure. It is to benoted in FIGURES I and VI that the height of the stop facing 13 on theoutside of the wall, indicated as 13', is less than the height of thestop facing on the inside of the wall, indicated as 13". Thus, it willbe seen that indentation 12 has a beveled surface v15 sloping inwardlyfrom apex 12 of indentation 12. This beveled surface assists the fiow ofmaterial from the container to the opening in the closure when thecontents are to be dispensed. Additionally, the downward slope of thesurface causes all or substantially all of the material not dispensed toflow back into the container of its own accord when the container is setupright.

The upper part of the wall 11 is further characterized by an annularprojecting bead, generally noted as 16 formed integrally with the wallat the level of the indentation 12 and more specifically at the apex 12'as particularly shown in FIGURE VI. The bead 16 has an outwardly beveledsurface 17, leading away from the outer surface of the wall, whichcooperates with the closure as is explained below. Projecting downwardlyfrom the beveled surface v17 is a ring 18 which cooperates with a bottomsurface 19 to retain the closure on the container. The bead 16 is formedwithout any indentations in surface 17 or ring 18 so that surface 17 iscontinuous and forms a sharp edge with the surface 15 at the apex 12'.Forming the bead with a smooth surface 17 and positioning the bead atthe apex 12 prevents the contents from spilling out from the indentationinto a space bet-ween the closure and wall. While the annularprojectin'g bead .16 is preferred, it is a further embodiment of thisinvention to provide a container having an indentation in the wall ofthe container instead of the bead 16. This embodiment is not shown butall surfaces thereof are analogous to those of head 16 as shown inFIGURES I and VI.

Closure 20 is formed as an integral unit resembling, in the most commonembodiment as shown in FIGURE III, a cylinder of one diameter axiallyset upon a cylinder of a greater diameter. The closure comprises a top21 in which openings of a perforated or shaker type 22 or of a slottedor pouring type 23 are located adjacent the inner surface of the closurewall 24. Either type of opening may he present in the closure dependingupon the intended use and contents or both may be present as shown inFIGURE III. Extending outwardly and downwardly from the closure wall 24is skirt 25 having a beveled outer surface 26 and matching inner surface26 which is in slidable contact with beveled surface 17 when the closureis placed on the container. Ski-rt 25 is provided with an annular ring27 which extends inwardly. Referring also to FIGURES IV and V, ring 27has a chamfered surface 27 sloping upwardly from the bottom surface 28of the ring to the upper surface 29 of the ring. When the closure 20 isproperly placed on the container 10, the upper surface 29 will slidablyengage the bottom surface 19 of the bead 16 so as to lock ring 27 belowbead 16 thereby preventing upward movement of the closure from thecontainer during use of the dispenser. Locking the closure onto thecontainer requires little pressure due to the camming action producedwhen beveled surface 17 engages charnfered surface 27' and theresiliency of the plastic material. This method of engaging closure andcontainer produces an excellent locking and sealing of the container andclosure which will withstand the normal abuse from use and duringshipment.

Within the closure is the important stop block 30. This block performsthe function of insuring that the openings are properly positioned forthe dispensing of the contents and that the openings are also properlypositioned to prevent unwanted discharge of the contents. Normally theblock is positioned on the inner surface of top 21 adjacent openings 22or 23. As shown in FIGURE III, the block is formed as an integral partof the closure on the inner surface of top 21 of cap 28 and the innersurface of the closure wall 24. The thickness of the block is equal tothe thickness of the rim of the wall of the container. Reference shouldbe made to FIGURE VII. Side 31 of the stop block is formed as a radiallycut surface and will fit tightly against a stop facing 13 when broughtinto contact with the facing. Side 31 has a configuration identical tostop facing 13 in that the vertical edge 31 formed at the inner surfaceof closure wall 24 is of lesser length than the vertical edge 31" formedcontiguous with the inner surface of the container wall at theindentation. Thus edge 31' is equal in length to edge 13 of the stopfacing and edge 31" equal in length to edge 13" of the stop facing.Therefore, the underside of the stop block has a beveled surface 32identical in slope to beveled surface 15 of the indentation. Since thesetwo surfaces are in sliding contact when the closure andcontainer areassembled, movement of the stop block along indentation 12 resuli's in awiping of surface 15 by the underside 32 of stop block 30. This wipingaction causes any material which did not flow back into the container ofits own accord to be loosened and/or pushed free to flow back into thecontainer.

To complete the cleaning of material from surface 15, the side of thestop block nearest the openings is formed as a scraping face 33. To formthis face 33, the width of the block along closure wall 24 is greaterthan the width of the block at its forward end 30'. Whereas side 31 isformed as a radial plane, scraping face 33 is formed as a chordal plane,making an acute angle across surface 15. As a result, when the stopblock is moved from an open to closed position, any material on thesurface 15 is not only loosened or pushed along this surface but isdirected inwardly by the angle of face 33, thus insuring cleaning ofsurface 15 and the return to the container of all material notdispensed. It is the combined wiping and scraping action of underside 32and scraping face 3-3 along surface 15 of the indentation 12 whichpermits the dispenser of this invention to be used with dry or liquidmaterials.

FIGURE II depicts another shape for the container of this inventionwhich is distinguished from the container shown in FIGURE I principallyby the tubular neck which rises from the top wall 81 of the containerand by the presence of two indentations 82 and 82. This tubular neck ineffect is a smaller version of the cylindrical container 10 0f FIGURE I.The number of indentations in such a tubular neck would be formed in thesame manner as shown in FIGURE I or FIGURE VI. Although the containershown in FIGURE II has a cylindrical shape, it could also be rectangularor pyramidal or coneshaped. In each instance, however, the tubular neckwould be formed on the upper surface of the container.

Referring again to FIGURE II, one may ascertain an appropriatearrangement for accommodating both the perforated openings and theslotted openings in the closure. Inclusion of both types of openingswould be most useful for dispensers of such materials as salt, sugar orpowdered condiments such as are used in preparing foods. Although thecontainer depicted is that requiring a tubular neck, similarindentations can be formed in the container shown in FIGURE I. To adaptthe dispenser for both perforated and slotted openings, indentations 82and 82' must differ in size. Indentation 82 should be shorter forexample than indentation 82'. Generally, indentation 82 is slightly lessthan one-half the length of indentation 82' and the spacing betweenindentations 82 and 82' around the rim of the opening is not less thanthe length of indentation 82. These lengths are critical. Indentation 82will be of a length to accommodate the peripheral length of theperforated opening 22 to allow dispensing from the perforated openingbut not the slotted opening 23 which will be positioned over the oneunindented rim portion of the rim of the tubular neck 80. When theclosure is rotated to place the slotted type opening over theindentation 82 then the perforated openings will be over the otherunindented portion of the rim of the tubular neck. Thus, it will be seenthat the length of indentation 82 will be at least twice the length ofindentation 82 to permit sufiicient movement of the stop block to permiteither type of opening to be placed over indentation 82.

With this type of indentation, the stop block will not wipe and scrap-ethe beveled face of the indentation 82. However, the beveled surfacewill direct the contents back into the container when such a dispenseris placed upright.

FIGURE VIII illustrates yet another embodiment of the dispenser of thisinvention. The container 40 is of conical configuration with the openingformed by a horizontal plane. Aside from the difference in shape ofcontainer 40 from container of FIGURE I or the tubular neck 80 of FIGUREII, the important difference is that the indentation 42 (FIGURE IX) isformed vertically rather than horizontally as in FIGURE I or II. Whereasbeveled surface of container 10 or tubular neck 80 slopes downwardly andinwardly, the similar surface 45 of container is vertical. It can besaid that the indentation is formed laterally with respect to thevertical axis of container 40 rather than vertically, as in container 10or tubular neck 80.

The closure for use with container 40 is formed according to theprinciples discussed above with respect to closure 20 in FIGURE III. Thestop block fits within indentation 45 in the same manner as stop block30 fits in indentation 12. One principal difference is that scrapingface 63, FIGURE X, of stop block 60 is angeled with respect to thehorizontal whereas scraping face 33 of stop block 30 is angled withrespect to the vertical. Both scraping faces function in an identicalmanner and thus scraping face 63 moves across indentation 42 scrapingany material from identation surface 45 and directing it back into thecontainer 41. Indentation 42 has two stop faces 43 as shown in FIGURESVIII and IX which are tri angular rather than trapezoidal as in FIGUREVI. Surface 45 has an upper knife-like edge 45' and a lower edge 45"forming an obtuse angle with the inner wall surface of container 41.Otherwise, this embodiment of the present invention functionsidentically as those heretofore described.

The above detailed description of various embodiments of the presentinvention are not to be construed as limiting. It is apparent that othermodifications may readily occur to those skilled in this art andtherefore the scope of the present invention should be governed by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser comprising:

(a) an open end container having an upstanding peripheral rimsurrounding said opening, said peripheral rim having an uppermost topsurface with at least one vertically disposed indentation projectingdownwardly therein and partially therearound the peripheral extent ofsaid upstanding rim immediately adjoining said open end, saidindentation defining opposed stop faces at either side thereof and abase surface contiguously between said stop faces, said base surfacehaving an upwardly oriented generally wedge-shaped configurationcomprising a first inner base surface portion extendingupwardly-outwardly from the inner periphery of said container end to anapex positioned generaly centrally of the container wall thickness ofsaid open end and a second base surface portion extending outwardly fromsaid apex towards the outer periphery of said open end, said containeralso having locking means around its periphery proximate said open endand said indentation; and

(b) a dispensing closure adapted to telescope over the open end of saidcontainer and engage said locking means whereby vertical movement of theclosure with respect to the container is prevented; said closurecomprising a top and a skirt depending therefrom, said closure having aplurality of dispensing openings in said top and also having integraltherewith a rotation limiting stop block depending from the underside ofthe top adjacent the openings, said stop block being in continualsliding engagement with the base surface of said indentation, saidperipheral top surface contacting peripheral under portions of saidclosure top so as to block said dispensing openings when said stop blockis in a non-dispensing position relative to said container.

2. The dispenser as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one face of thestop block makes an acute angle with respect to said first base surfaceof the indentation, whereby movement of the stop block biases residualmaterial within the indentation back into the container.

3. A dispenser comprising:

(a) an open end container having an upstanding peripheral rimsurrounding said opening, said peripheral rim having an uppermost topsurface with at least one verticaly disposed indentation projectingdownwardly therein and partially therearound the peripheral extent ofsaid upstanding rim immediately adjoining said open end, saidindentation defining opposed stop faces at either side thereof and abase surface oontiguously between stop faces, said container also havinglocking means around its periphery proximate said open end and saidindentation; and

(b) a dispensing closure adapted to telescope over the open end of saidcontainer and engage said locking means whereby vertical movement of theclosure with respect to the container is prevented; said closurecomprising a top and a skirt depending therefrom, said closure having aplurality of dispensing openings in said top and also having integraltherewith a rotation limiting stop block depending from the underside ofthe top adjacent the openings, said stop block being in continualsliding engagement with the base surface of said indentation, andwherein the plane defined by at least one face of the stop blockintersects with the base surface of said indentation along a lineforming an acute angle therewith whereby said above movement of the stopblock biases residual material on the indentation back into thecontainer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,121,519 2/1964 Cherba 2225193,136,458 6/1964 Ruetz 222562 3,237,819 3/1966 Fillmore 222548 3,261,5167/1966 Allen 222548 3,276,643 10/1966 Klygis 222548 3,179,290 4/1965Whitney 222571 3,209,964 10/1965 Knight 222548 3,214,068 10/ 1965 Armour222548 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

